Second Budget Bill Faces Final Vote In VT House

The Vermont House of Representative will reconvene for a final vote on the second budget bill of the year.

The House is expected to hold a final vote on the budget bill Tuesday. The bill passed the first vote 86 to 44 on Friday. If it passes it will move to the Senate, which meets Thursday.

Scott vetoed the previous budget bill last month.

Democratic leaders said this version of the budget bill excluded points of disagreement between the Legislature and Republican Governor Phil Scott, which would help avert a government shutdown on July 1.

But the budget bill faces a likely veto from Scott because it would only keep homestead property rates at current levels, while allowing an increase in the nonresidential property tax rate.

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As the budget dispute continues in Vermont, a proposal has been offered that would avert a state government shutdown. But an effort to fast-track the bill in the Vermont House failed to receive enough votes on Wednesday.

Vermont Republican Governor Phil Scott called a special session of the state legislature to begin today. It comes after he promised to veto the budget and property tax bills presented to him, although he has yet to officially veto the fiscal plans. On Tuesday, he nixed a number of other bills, including one that would raise the minimum wage, and a paid family leave measure. Vermont Senate Pro-Tem Democrat/Progressive Tim Ashe says that move was an example of continued frustration the legislature has with the administration.

Both chambers of the Vermont Legislature gaveled into special session this morning — and after less than an hour each chamber adjourned until next Tuesday. After adjournment the House and Senate leaders expressed continued frustration with the Scott Administration.

Saturday night, the Vermont Legislature adjourned despite Governor Phil Scott’s promise to veto the just-passed budget and property tax bills. Late Tuesday the governor sent a letter to the House Speaker and Senate Pro Tem notifying them that a special session would begin next Wednesday, May 23rd. During a conversation earlier Tuesday, Senate Pro Tem Tim Ashe, a Progressive/Democrat, expressed strong disagreement with the governor’s recent actions.